My 1994 SPI left me stranded again on my way home from work last week. The car stalled out of nowhere while cruising at 50 mph and sounded a ~5 second long beep from the instrument cluster. I coasted to the side of the road and checked all of the vacuum hoses and fuel lines. Everything seemed to be in order.

The car started right back up and I drove about 1/2 mile when the car stalled again. I decided to have the car towed back to the house.

A few days later I started the car up at the house. The engine turned over and ran without any problems for nearly 20 minutes at 3K RPM while stationary. I noticed that I could hear the fuel pump whirling over the sound of the loud exhaust.

Today I pulled the gas tank and fuel pump. The pump was very rusty and the filter mesh bag attached to the bottom of the pump was also clogged with rust.






I cleaned the tank, reinstalled the pump minus the mesh filter that was attached to it and filled it up with fresh gas. The engine turned over normally and ran at 3K RPM for 10 minutes. I decided to take the car for a quick drive around the block and it stalled again about 300 yards from my house.

It seems the problem only occurs when the engine is under load. Do these symptoms sound like a bad fuel pump or could something else be going on?

Any input is always greatly appreciated.

 

Oh damn

a problem with one of those grey market cars is the lack of technical advice available . . .

it is legal to import at 25 yoa: .... 2010 - 25 = 1985

BUT DJ is reported to be a good hand with the later Mini's
http://www.djminis.com/



I'm a bad person to point this out? At a car show yesterday a person with a re-vin 2000 rover mini had it entered as a 1969

That's what the registration said

 

Well... It was cheap, running, not a total rust bucket and had a title. I didn't have the $$$ to purchase or the time to completely restore a true cooper. It still grabs the attention when it runs.

 

No offense here at all, but I think he was asking for technical information and not the import laws. I think that information has been hammered to death.

Good luck with your car. I've found alot more helpful information on forums in the UK as most of the folks driving Minis have cars about your cars age. It seems NAM has turned into BINI owners infiltrating the Classic forum talking about anything but classics. When its not that, its Classic owners pissing about custom importation laws.

Try www.theminiforum.co.uk and you will find your answer within 24 hours of posting more than likely. I've found a ton of good technical info there.

 

Thank you for the link! I went ahead and ordered a new fuel pump from Mini Sport since the old pump appeared to be in such rough shape. Mini Mania was asking $679 for it, which is ridiculous.

We shall see if this solves the stalling problem!

Chris

 

Chris,

I'm blown away at what MM and some of the other US retailers charge for parts. I order nearly everything from the UK. Even wheels and tires are cheaper with the high cost of shipping!

If you go to theminiforum.co.uk and join the forum as a paying member, it costs 5 quid (about $7.50 USD) and you receive a 7.5% discount at minispares (minispares.com). Do the math, if you spend more than $100 a year, you are saving what you paid. Everything after that $100, you are saving money. PM me for details if need be.

Not sure what you paid for your fuel pump at Mini Sport, but you could have saved some cash with the discount if the price is about the same between MiniSport and MiniSpares. MiniSport's website is easier to navigate but saving money is worth digging out what I need on MiniSpares.

Hope the fuel pump solves your problem!

-Ryan

 

Problem solved. New fuel pump cured the stalling and idling issues and seemed to give the engine some additional "zing."

Now I have to figure out the mysterious new fluid leak on my garage floor. It appears to be clutch or brake fluid.